A Horrible, Terrible Lie
by c.a.conley
Summary: Dappleheart has her kits, and then Nightshade does only days later. Secrets get out about who their kits fathers really are, causing drama to some and relief to others. Wow that sounds prissy. XDD
1. Chapter 1

Horrible, Terrible Lies

Dappleheart's POV

Obviously, these cats aren't all mine. You guys know who belongs to who.

"Quick, Dappleheart! Fetch Feathercloud!" An urgent feminine voice broke into the tortoiseshell's light doze in her nest in ShadowClan's nursery. "Nightshade's having her kits!"

Immediately, Dappleheart was on her paws. She'd known Nightshade's kits were due any day now, and it was very convient that the kitting managed to hold off until Dappleheart's own kits had been born so that she wouldn't be waddling out to the medicine den to fetch Feathercloud and her apprentice, Tawnypaw.

"Keep an eye on my kits!" she ordered Honeydapple, the other queen. She cast a loving look at her kits, barely two days old, then she was running out of the nursery, straight for the medicine cat den.

She pushed in and almost tripped over a sleeping Tawnypaw, letting out a hiss of annoyance at the apprentice's inconvenient placement. Feathercloud was still curled in her nest - it was not yet dawn, after all. That's where Dappleheart would be, too, had there not been a more important task at paw.

A tortoiseshell paw prodded the tiny medicine cat in the side. "Feathercloud! Wake up!" Dappleheart hissed in her ear. "Nightshade's begun her kitting!"

Within heartbeats, Feathercloud was up and moving. She retrieved some herbs - borage, Dappleheart thought, to help the black queen's milk come. She herself had been eating some of those daily for the past moon or so. "Tawnypaw, get up! We're heading to the nursery!" the medicine cat announced, flipping her apprentice over the face with her tail as she passed and headed to the nursery, Dappleheart following behind.

But upon reaching the nursery, the young queen lingered outside instead of following Feathercloud in. She could hear Feathercloud ask Honeydapple a few questions, such as when Nightshade began her kitting, and whether she had had any water. Tawnypaw whisked by and vanished inside, only to return moments later and head across the clearing to the medicine den.

Nightshade and Dappleheart had never been the greatest of friends, although recently their friendship had progressed from "enemies" to merely "tolerance". Which was better than their previous constant jabbing and mocking. Perhaps it was the kits that had done it; when Nightshade discovered she was pregnant, Dappleheart was the first cat she came to. Of course, that tolerance had fallen away for a period of time, when Dappleheart thought that her mate was cheating on her with the black she-cat. Of course, it was now obvious that Reedwhisker preferred Nightshade over Dappleheart, but she didn't know that then. And then, soon after, Nightshade told her the truth, the truth that Reedwhisker was happily oblivious to. Nightshade's kits were Dreamfur's, not Reedwhisker. And so while he chose to believe that the black she-cat's kits were his, pushing Dappleheart away and leaving her feeling broken and wounded, Dreamfur, Nightshade, and the tortoiseshell all knew the truth.

But, Reedwhisker still had kits in the nursery, just not the ones that he thought were his. And this was something Dappleheart and Dreamfur intended to make him aware of, and soon.

Finally, after a few more moments of lingering outside, Tawnypaw returned with some water-soaked moss, and Honeydapple's head poked out of the nursery. "Your kits are mewling for milk," she informed Dappleheart, who dipped her head and returned to her nest inside the now-crowded nursery, gazing down at her five kits - Specklekit, Volekit, Flamekit, Firekit, and Redkit. Three toms and two she-kits, her darling little kits that were already a pawful. She curled around them and blocked out the noise of the nursery, and dozed again as they suckled.

Her nap did not last, though, because Honeydapple soon reawoke her, and she sat up. Dappleheart's kits were now all asleep in a pile. "She's had a she-kit and a tom. Feathercloud and Tawnypaw left us to keep an eye on her." Curious, Dappleheart approached the queen and sniffed the two kits at her belly.

"Names?" she inquired, looking up at Nightshade with large amber eyes.

Nightshade looked tired but content, which was to be expected after a kitting, and her eyes were warm as she gazed down at her two kits. Her tail touched a black kit, almost an exact replica of Nightshade herself. "This little black one is Dark-kit. He's the tom. And this she-kit," her tail moved to the toroiseshell female, "is Patchkit."

"Beautiful names for beautiful kits," Dappleheart purred. Patchkit was the name of her sister, once upon a time. Before sickness took her as a kit.

"We've sent Heronstripe to wake Reedwhisker and tell him that his kits have been born." At Honeydapple's voice, Dappleheart promptly froze, although the tabby queen was too busy grooming one of her own three kits to notice. "I'm not sure why he hadn't already been informed of this, but better late than never, I suppose."

Dappleheart turned away from Nightshade and her newborns and returned to her nest rather stiffly, an unreadable mask to hide her emotions immediately dropping down over her features of its own will.

Her mind flew back to the last _real_ conversation they'd had.

_"You always loved her more than me, Reedwhisker." Dappleheart's voice was aching, just like she was on the inside._

_"Dappleheart! I love you both!" Reedwhisker protested._

_"Save it. I'm done with you, Reedwhisker. I've had enough of this mousedung. I know you've been sneaking off witth Nightshade. Why else would she be having your kits?" With that, Dappleheart turned tail and disappeared into ShadowClan's territory, hurting, feeling betrayed, and leaving a sad-looking tom behind. Reedwhisker betrayed her. Who was to say the rest of ShadowClan wouldn't?_

And soon after that, Nightshade and Reedwhisker made up, leaving Dappleheart feeling used and broken beyond repair. She knew now that her assumptions were wrong, but she couldn't apologize just yet. Yet she felt the same pain every day, when Reedwhisker paid his daily visit to his mate.

_That could be me._

_But he never loved you as much as Nightshade, mousebrain._

And so she was torn, between love and hate.

Dappleheart curled around her kits, and lay there for only a few heartbeats before Reedwhisker pushed into, followed by Heronstripe. Her eyes followed him emotionlessly as he crossed the den, and he cast a glance that seemed wistful at her. But that was probably just wishful thinking. She watched, that place in her chest aching as it always did when she saw him. She didn't respond when he spoke to her - _what was the point?_ - and he continued on to Nightshade. They held a conversation, and then something changed.

Finally. The mousebrain must have put the facts together and discovered the not-so-obvious, because he gasped and said, "I...I have to go!" With that, he fled the den.

Now was the time. For the second time that day, Dappleheart told Honeydapple to watch her kits, leaving a bewildered Heronstripe behind with the equally confused queen. Nightshade was a bit better off, and Dappleheart assumed she'd explain it to them.

The tortoiseshell slipped out of the den and followed the fleeing Reedwhisker. She was joined by Dreamfur - he must have been lingering nearby - and the two set out after the ginger tom.

They caught up at the Burnt Syacamore, where Reedwhisker finally stopped and leaned against the burnt tree. "They're not mine." Reedwhisker's voice was hollow, shaken, and Dappleheart felt a stab of pity for the warrior.

But of course she wasn't going to say anything right now. Best to let Dreamfur take care of it, then add on. The two of them had been waiting in the shadows together, both seemingly alone in their Clan. Besides, this was the part when Dreamfur had to explain that Nightshade's kits were his.

"No, they're not. The kits are mine, Reedwhisker. I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but Nightshade said she didn't want you to know. Dappleheart and I decided we'd tell you after the kits were born, before she found out she was carrying your kits," Dreamfur explained sympathetically. Reedwhisker looked up, eyes wide. Dappleheart met his gaze, and she could see something - just a little something - there in his eyes. Hope?

"Mine? Those kits I saw are mine?" Reedwhisker's nose pushed into Dappleheart's shoulder, and sympathy rose in her again. She licked his ear, and finally said the longest thing she had said to him in moons. It was a relief to get it out, a relief to finally say those words.

"C'mon...I can't leave our kits alone for long, and you still need to meet them." It was surprisingly easy to talk to him. It felt right, and she'd missed this feeling. "Dreamfur will take care of Nightshade and her fox-hearts."

"Hey! My kits are not fox-hearts!" Dreamfur protested, but he was laughing. The two of them had managed to bring some light into this conversation after all, and Dappleheart had to laugh too.

Reedwhisker leaned on her shoulder as Dreamfur led the way back to camp. "What did you name them? The kits?" His voice sounded hoarse, like he'd gone a while without water or talking.

"Redkit, Specklekit, Firekit, Volekit, and Flamekit." Dappleheart listed. She recalled naming them by herself, with no help from their father, and felt a bit sad. "I was going to name Redkit 'Reedkit' but it would've given too much away, so I couldn't," she admitted. Redkit looked exactly like Reedwhisker did, after all.

They reached camp, and Dappleheart led Reedwhisker to the nursery. An upset-looking Heronstripe intercepted them. "Dappleheart?" he pressed. "Is he alright? He looks...." The tom trailed off.

_Time for your humor to brighten the day again, _the toroiseshell thought sarcastically as she meowed,

"Broken, hollow, wounded in a way Feathercloud and Tawnypaw can't fix, if that's what you mean." She showed him to their kits.

"They're ours? Really ours?' He whispered, and the queen nodded. Her smile was bigger and happier than his own, because finally he was meeting their kits. This was something she'd wished for ever since their birth.

"Born two days ago, if you can remember back that far," she meowed jokingly. Her tail pointed to a kit. "Volekit's the easiest to tell apart. She's the brown tabby on the left." As she introduced each one, her tail moved down the line. "Then there's Specklekit…she's that little tortoiseshell. The three toms are Redkit, and his pelt's the darkest of the three. Then Flamekit and finally Firekit. See how busy his tail is? Just like yours, Reedwhisker. He even has little white toes."

Reedwhisker nodded. "They're beautiful." He let out a yawn, and Dappleheart looked at him pityingly. He must be worn out from the events of the day. Actually, the tortoiseshell herself thought she was going to take a nap after her left. Heronstripe stepped in as Reedwhisker meowed, "They're beautiful," and let the ginger tom lean on him so that Dappleheart could return to her kits.

"C'mon, little brother. You look like you haven't slept in days! Moons, even!" Dappleheart choked back laughter at that, and curled around her kits. The two left the den, leaving the queens with their kits and Dreamfur.

Finally Reedwhisker knew the truth. Live wasn't back to usual yet, but perhaps, in time, it would mend.


	2. Chapter 2

((NOTE: Reedwhisker's POV. It isn't written by me, I admit, but I have recieved permission from the author to post it on here so that you all reading it might understand better. We are working together on the next chapters, sorting out the ideas, etc. Bear with me until we've got it all figured out.

Credit goes to Hedgie, a friend of mine. She owns the characters Reedwhisker and Heronstripe.))

"Wake up! They're coming, they're coming! Oh wait..they've already arrived! But anyway…wake up!"

A sharp paw prodded him in the side, and Reedwhisker rolled over. Heronstripe stood over him, the silver tabby tom's eyes sparking with enthusiasm, contrasting against his ginger brother's groggy yet annoyed gaze.

"You mousebrain!" He growled. "Who's coming?! Who came?" Heronstripe prodded his younger sibling's side, this time with claws unsheathed.

"Ouch!"

"Your kits, silly! Nightshade's having your kits! Well, she's had them already. You took so long to wake up that you missed the whole thing."

Reedwhisker was instantly up on his feet and out of the warriors' den. Heronstripe chuckled , but was soon stopped by Dreamfur's dry comment of "You won't be laughing for long, you know." Before Heronstripe could ask the ginger tom what he had meant, Dreamfur was sleeping again. Whatever his clanmate had meant by that comment could wait. He himself had kits to visit.

Reedwhisker slipped into the nursery, where not one, not two, but three queens lay amongst the moss-lined nests with kits eagerly nuzzling at their bellies. He saw Honeydapple, who smiled warmly at him, her three kits all safe and sound. He passed Dappleheart also, but her reaction towards his presence was different. Not cold, but distant, her eyes sad as he passed. Her kits were also safe and healthy, all five of them mewling loudly for more milk.

"Feeding time, huh?" He feebly chuckled. Reedwhisker remembered being good friends with Dappleheart, back when they'd all been apprentices, back before all this had happened. She didn't even respond to his failed attempt at small-talk. Finally, in the far reaches of the den, lay the cat he had been looking for. A large smile broke out across his face and he sped up, nearly tripping over his paws in excitement. Nightshade laughed, and Reedwhisker could detect a faint hint of dryness in the sound, but he pushed it away, beaming as he looked down on the two kits.

A tom and a she-cat.

A little black tom, almost the spitting image of his mother, and a slightly larger tortoiseshell she-kit. They were gorgeous, and they were his, all his. He nuzzled Nightshade, and pulled away, looking down at the kits once more.

"Names?' He mewed expectantly. Nightshade sighed, obviously still tired from her earlier ordeal. She nudged the tom-kit with her nose and he let out a loud squeak. "This little guy's name is Dark-kit and the she-kit's name is Patchkit. She's pretty big, isn't she? Nice and strong. Her brother's smaller, yes..but he makes a lot more noise." Her voice was warm when she talked about her kits, and it was one of the few times he'd heard her sound that way. His mind drifted off to a darker point in their relationship, when all their words had been sharp and cold, like slivers of ice on the river.

_"You're cheating on me with him, aren't you?!" His eyes glowed with rage, and Nightshade's also sparked with the same boiling emotion._

"Of course I have been, you mousebrain! We've always had that kind of connection. I couldn't fight it and neither could he. So of course I've been sneaking around with Dreamfur. I'm surprised it took you so long to see it…Wait, I'm not at all! You always were rather dense, never seeming to notice I never really wanted you the way you did me." Her words stung him and he ran off from her, claws digging small holes in the boggy ground.

He knew what he had to do. Knew that the only way to fix things was to go to Dappleheart, that it was also the only way to get back at her. He'd do what she had done to him. He'd always had those feelings for his other friend, but his now-broken loyalty towards Nightshade had kept him from following them. Apparently her loyalty to him hadn't been as strong.

"More like non-existent. " He growled, following the scent-trail that would lead him towards his solution.

Pain hit his heart like daggers, making Reedwhisker gasp, his mind no longer focused on the two wriggling newborns, but on a more frightening place.

"Are you alright, Reedwhisker?' It was Honeydapple that asked, and all he could do was feebly nod.

"I…I have to go." He whispered, still breathless. He scrambled out of the den, barely aware of his brother as Heronstripe slipped in to visit his own kits, unable to hear Dappleheart telling Honeydapple and Nightshade to watch her kits. He took no notice of Dreamfur slipping past him to walk side-by-side with Dappleheart as they followed Reedwhisker out of camp.  
What in Starclan's name was wrong with him? What was going on? This pain was unbearable, horrible, seething. He could barely stand it and he slumped against the burnt tree, feeling as weak as the newborn kits he'd thought were his.

Thought…it had all been a lie. Yes….a horrible, terrible lie.

There was a rustling in the bushes surrounding the Sycamore and Reedwhisker looked up, shock registering on his tabby-striped face. It was Dreamfur, his expression smug but pitying, and Dappleheart. He couldn't read her expression even as she neared him. It was like he'd been blinded by the breaking, and by the fear and loneliness that closed around him like a Twoleg trap.

"They're not mine." That voice couldn't be his own, but the other two hadn't yet spoken. It sounded so hollow. But then again, he felt hollow. Hollow and tossed around like a piece of prey.  
It was Dreamfur who spoke first. Unlike the other times they'd spoken, his voice wasn't so dry and resentful. No…now it was sad. Everything was sad.

Sad. Broken. Horrible and terrible.

"No, they're not. The kits are mine, Reedwhisker. I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but Nighthsade said she didn't want you to know. Dappleheart and I decided we'd tell you after the kits were born, before she found out she was carrying your kits." Dreamfur explained, and Reedwhisker looked up, amber eyes wide as they searched for Dappleheart.

"Mine? Those kits I saw are mine?" There was a shimmer there of something, but it wouldn't be enough just yet. His heart grasped onto that shimmer and he pressed his nose into the tortoiseshell's shoulder. Her head rested on top of his and she licked his ear, sighing.

"C'mon…I can't leave our kits for long, and you still need to meet them. Dreamfur will take care of Nightshade and her little fox-hearts."

"Hey!" Dreamfur chirped. "My kits are not fox-hearts." It was a small moment of comedy, and the other two laughed as they padded back to camp. Reedwhisker, still a bit wobbly, leaned on Dappleheart for support.

""What did you name them? The kits?" He croaked. Dappleheart sighed again, saddened by her mate's hollow-hearted tone.

"Redkit, Specklekit, Firekit, Volekit and Flamekit." She whispered to him as Dreamfur slipped on ahead of them and into camp. "I was going to name Redkit 'Reedkit' but it would've given too much away, so I couldn't."

He nodded as she led him into camp. Heronstripe was obviously distraut. Apparently, Nightshade had told them all that her kits were Dreamfur's, but that Reedwhisker did have kits in the nursery.

"Dappleheart?" Heronstripe pressed. "Is he alright? He looks…."

"Broken, hollow, wounded in a way Feathercloud and Tawnypaw can't fix, if that's what you mean." Dappleheart replied, guiding her flame-pelted friend over to his kits. That shimmer lit his face again, if only barely, and he nudged each kit in turn as if seeing them truly for the first time.

"They're ours? Really ours?' He whispered, and Dappleheart nodded, her smile brighter than his own.

"Born two days ago, if you can remember back that far. Volekit's the easiest to tell apart. She's the brown tabby on the left. Then there's Specklekit…she's that little tortoiseshell. The three toms are Redkit, and his pelt's the darkest of the three. Then Flamekit and finally Firekit. See how busy his tail is? Just like yours, Reedwhisker. He even has little white toes."  
Reedwhisker nodded. "They're beautiful." He yawned, and Heronstripe stepped in so his brother had a shoulder to lean on, seeing as Dreamfur was dealing with Nightshade.

"C'mon, little brother. You look like you haven't slept in days, moons even!" The two padded slowly back to the den as Dappleheart curled around his kits. Reedwhisker's only thoughts as he drifted off to sleep were of the five little kits and their mother.

"My kits.' He whispered. "Mine and hers. Ours."

Though his heart was starting to heal, there was so much more to come. 


	3. Chapter 3

((Again, this isn't written by me, but by the owner of Dreamfur. I have permission from her to use this.

All credit goes to Night! Thanks, Night!))

"_You used me…" The tom's voice held a hint of anger, overwhelmed by the searing pain and betrayal he felt. "You used me to get Reedwhisker's attention…"__**you**__, Dreamfur. I always have…"__**couldn't**__ leave you out. Did you not hear what I just said? I love you! How could I just leave you out?"_

Nightshade shook her head. "No," she pleaded. "I didn't…Dreamfur, I love you…Maybe that's how it started out, but I love

Dreamfur hung his head. "If you love me," he said in a pain-filled voice, "Then why can't I claim the kits as mine? Why let Reedwhisker believe that they're his?"

Nightshade sighed, and looked down at her paws. She shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Because…" she said softly. "He wouldn't understand…not like you can, Dreamfur…" She looked up, her eyes clouded.

The tom snorted bitterly. "So, because I'm the stronger one, I get left out, while you and Reedwhisker live your happy life?"

Nightshade shook her head again, more forcefully this time. "No! I wouldn't,

Dreamfur met her gaze evenly. "Then tell him."

The black she-cat bowed her head sadly. "I can't…it's too hard…"

"Tell him. I'm sick of these lies, Nightshade. I cannot live this lie much longer…If you can't tell him, then I can."

"No…I-I'll tell him. He needs to hear it from me…I'll tell him soon…"

Soon. She would tell him soon, she said. Dreamfur pawed at the ground resentfully. She hadn't told Reedwhisker the truth yet, and probably wouldn't, until after she had given birth. The orange furred tom sighed. He still loved Nightshade, more than she probably thought, but the lie that he was forced to live made Dreamfur more than irritable. Still, as time went on, and Nightshade's belly swelled with the kits within, he had learned to cope. In fact, he had hidden his secret well, if he said so himself.

"Wake up! They're coming, they're coming! Oh wait..they've already arrived! But anyway…wake up!"

Dreamfur's eyes snapped open, and he raised his head to see Heronstripe prodding Reedwhisker with one sheathed paw. The warrior's eyes were excited.

"You mousebrain!" Reedwhisker growled, looking bewildered and groggy from the rude awakening.. "Who's coming?! Who came?" Heronstripe prodded his younger sibling's side, this time with claws unsheathed.

"Ouch!"

"Your kits, silly! Nightshade's having your kits! Well, she's had them already. You took so long to wake up that you missed the whole thing."

As Reedwhisker jumped up and bolted out of the den at Heronstripe's words, his fur disheveled, Dreamfur hissed quietly to himself in anger. "You won't be laughing for long, you know," he said cryptically as Heronstripe chuckled. He lay his head down again and closed his eyes, feigning sleep.

He couldn't sleep, however. His thoughts were too disorganized to do so. He was going to tell him. He was going to tell Reedwhisker the truth, the horrible truth. The truth that should have been told long ago. He wouldn't, _couldn't_ live this lie any more.

With another sigh – he noted that he'd been doing that a lot lately – Dreamfur stood, and shook himself. He padded out of the den. Whether he could claim his position as the father of Nightshade's kits or not, he at least wanted to see them. He wanted to see his kits.

_"I…I have to go!"_

Reedwhisker's choked voice rang out from the nursery, and Dreamfur paused, confused. Had Nightshade kept her promise, and told him? His thoughts were interrupted as Reedwhisker pushed out of the nursery, running towards the forest beyond.

_"Watch my kits."_ Dappleheart's mew reached his ears, and when the young queen appeared, Dreamfur fell into step beside her as they followed Reedwhisker.

Soon, they came to a small clearing, and as Dreamfur pushed out of the bushes, he couldn't help feeling a smug satisfaction that Reedwhisker had finally realized the truth. Now, he could claim his relationship to _his_ kits. Still, he also felt pity. Reedwhisker looked shaken, shaken beyond reason.

_"They're not mine…"_ Hearing Reedwhisker's broken, hollow voice, Dreamfur felt tired, more tired than ever.

His eyes were sad, and his voice reflected his sorrow, as he spoke up. "No, they're not. The kits are mine, Reedwhisker. I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but Nightshade said she didn't want you to know. Dappleheart and I decided we'd tell you after the kits were born, before she found out she was carrying your kits." Dreamfur watched as Reedwhisker's eyes flickered to Dappleheart's, a strange expression in his gaze. Hope?

"Mine? Those kits I saw are mine?" Reedwhisker touched his nose to Dappleheart's shoulder, and the she-cat licked his shoulder gently.

"C'mon...I can't leave our kits alone for long, and you still need to meet them." Dreamfur felt happy for Dappleheart. StarClan knew how she had suffered, watching her mate love another. Her next words made him look up indignantly. "Dreamfur will take care of Nightshade and her fox-hearts."

"Hey, my kits are not fox-hearts," he said, laughing. It felt good to laugh, once more. His paws felt lighter, much lighter than the dead weight they had been for the past few moons.

"What did you name them? The kits," Reedwhisker meowed, as he and Dappleheart turned to head back to camp to see their kits. Dreamfur shook his head with a smile, and he began to follow. The two cats in front of him talked on, barely noticing him. He didn't mind, for it was their time to repair what had been broken.

When they had returned, Dreamfur slipped into the nursery behind Reedwhisker and Dappleheart. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, Dreamfur sought out the one cat he wished to see. Nightshade. His eyes were soft as he spotted the black queen, and they softened even more as he saw the little bundles beside her. "Nightshade," he murmured as he padded up to her. His pressed his nose into her fur. "They're beautiful," he breathed, nosing the little kits. _His_ kits. "What are their names?" His throat felt choked as he looked up once more, into his mate's eyes.

"This one is Dark-kit," she said softly, blinking at him as she touched the tom with one gentle paw. "And this is Patchkit." She motioned to the she-kit with her tail. "Dreamfur," she said, raising her eyes to his, "I'm sorry…"

The tom licked her ears gently. "I know," he said, his voice equally soft. "I love you."

"I love you too…"

Dreamfur gazed down at his little family, pride overwhelming him. He felt alive, free. Gone were the feelings of resentment, jealousy, and sorrow. Gone was the guilt, of living a lie. Broken bonds would be mended, friendships renewed. He would no longer have to live under that horrible, terrible lie.


End file.
